Buying a new home is one of the most exciting things you can do.
And if it’s your first home, kitting your new property out with everything you’ll need is equally as exciting, albeit a little daunting.
Buying all the essentials you’ll need for your new home can be expensive, too, and it’s also easy to forget certain items, so you need to shop well and spread your budget across the items that are most important to you.
Our checklist of new home essentials can help you keep on track…
New house essentials: Your checklist of what to buy
We’ve broken down your essentials checklist into different rooms to help you prioritise what you need and where.
Kitchen
While upgrading your kitchen’s main appliances or even installing a new kitchen altogether might be on your wish list further into the future, these are the essential kitchen items you may need during your first few months in your new home:
- Table and chairs
- Microwave
- Toaster
- Kettle
- Waste bin
- Cleaning cloths
- Cleaning detergent / washing up liquid
- Tea towels
- Cutlery
- Set of knives
- Crockery
- Tin opener
- Bottle opener
- Baking trays
- Pots and pans
- Wooden spoons
- Oven gloves
Bathroom
As well as making sure you have everything you need in your kitchen for eating and drinking, making sure your bathroom is kitted out is also key:
- Towels, including hand towels
- Bath or shower mats
- Toilet brushes
- Toilet roll holders
- Handwash or soap
- Toothbrush and holder
- Bin
- Bleach and other cleaning products
Living room
One of the great things about adding to your home from scratch is an easier moving day, as you won’t have large items of furniture to move in. When it comes to buying essentials for your property, the living room is one of the most fun! Here are some of the things you’ll need:
- Sofa, or comfortable chairs
- Coffee table
- A television and either a wall bracket or a unit
- Side lamps for soft lighting
- Cushions
- A rug
Bedrooms
The first thing you’ll need in your bedroom is a bed, so we’re fairly confident we can leave that off the list. But there are a number of other essentials you’ll need, too, including:
- A duvet for summer and one for winter
- Pillows
- Duvet covers and pillow cases
- Bedside tables
- Lamps
- A wardrobe and hangers
- Chest of drawers
- Curtains or blinds
- A large mirror
Cleaning essentials
As well as the cleaning items we’ve already mentioned for your kitchen and bathrooms, you’ll also need:
- A vacuum cleaner
- A mop and bucket, or floor wipes
- Dusters
- Washing powder or liquid and softener
Other key essentials
When you move, try to make sure you have a number of useful medicinal items, including:
- Paracetamol and / or ibuprofen
- Disinfectant
- Plasters
- Thermometer
You’ll also need to make sure your home has a number of safety items, which should include:
- Batteries for smoke alarms
- Smoke alarms themselves if you don’t have them
- Carbon monoxide detector
- A torch
- A fire blanket for the kitchen
And, of course you’ll want to start putting your own stamp on your home, so make sure you have:
- A step ladder
- A hammer
- Nails, screws and wall plugs
- A tape measure
- Flat and crosshead screwdrivers
Essentials to buy before you move in
Broadband is definitely an essential these days.
And if you don’t want to endure a period of time without a good internet connection, it pays to arrange your WiFi service before you move into your new home.
As soon as you have exchanged contracts and you have a competition date, start shopping around for a good value WiFi contract and get your home installation booked in.
The sooner you do this, the more likely your WiFi will be up and running on or around your moving-in date.
Subscription TV packages like Virgin Media or Sky also often have a lead time, so the sooner you get these booked and arranged, the more you can relax.
Home essentials: Things to consider
Remember, you don’t have to buy everything at once.
Kitting out your new home can be expensive, so don’t feel pressured to do everything all in one go.
Decide what from the list is most crucial and stick to that, while purchasing other, more expensive, items as you go along.
Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are also great places to find a bargain or two if you’re on a tighter budget.
Further reading…
If you’re a first-time buyer thinking of purchasing your first home, there are a whole host of dos and don’ts you should know – take a look at them here.
